The princess and the pirate
by lenfaz
Summary: AU set after 3x11 - Hook finds an unexpected surprise after he leaves the Charmings in the Enchanted Forest. Please forgive any grammar or spelling mistakes, as English is not my native language :)
1. Illusions

"I tried the hero thing, it didn't take" he said as he was ready to leave them, because there was nothing in the Enchanted Forest for him. Not without her.

"So that's it? Emma's gone and you'll go back to being a pirate?" Snow asked him

"Back, Milady? I've always been a pirate" he retorted before leaving because it was the one thing he knew how to do after losing Liam, after losing Milah. Leave. Turn around and be alone, look out for yourself and never get hurt again.

And it always worked, until he met her, until she got so far under his skin that he was ready to leave it all for her.

And now she was gone again.

He was not going to stay in the Enchanted Forest, playing the good boy part with her family. He couldn't harbor those thoughts. He needed to put enough distance between him and the memories of Emma before it was too late, before he was completely hooked and bewitched with her that he could not move forward.

As he rode that horse into the open roads and the unknown, he knew it was too late. He knew that he would give anything to find passage into the worlds and find her.

He lost track of the hours eventually, it was dull and pointless as he rode into the open, dangerous road in search for his ship, for the last piece he had to hold on to his previous life. To go back to pillage and plunder, to take what he wanted whenever he wanted it. To drink himself into oblivion, to fuck as many bar wenches as he could so he would forget all about her. Forget the way her kiss was etched forever in his lips, in his mind, in his soul. He closed his eyes for a second, reliving that brief moment, his thoughts lingering on her one more time, one last time.

He opened his eyes and thought he had gone mad with ache because he could see a blonde figure far ahead on the road, looking exactly like her.

"Bloody hell" he cursed loudly at his failed attempts to forget her and shook his head to erase the illusion of his mind. But the figure remained as he approached her on the road, coming to life as a real person and not a product of his imagination.

He knew the Enchanted Forest, he knew of the many magical dangers that could come his way and he was ready to fight this trickery out of his way and resume his journey.

He dismounted his horse and drew his sword quickly, not giving the figure time to turn around.

"Stop your bloody sorcery… you will not get the best of me without a fight" he said

The figure turned around, and it was the exact image of Emma. For a moment the lost track of his thoughts, but he could not risk letting his guard down against any type of witches. He directed the point of his sword towards the illusion.

"Release that form you took, you bloody witch!" he yelled at the figure, who looked startled and dazed at him…

"Hook!" she said and it was her voice coming to him like a dream, like a gift, enwrapping him in all the beautiful memories of her.

"You will not bewitch me, I know you are playing tricks with my mind, I will cut you" he spat at her, ready to attack.

"Hook, please, it's me" she said, her eyes filled with worry and fear. "I swear it's me…"

There was something in her voice that seemed so real, he wanted to believe it was….

"This is the Enchanted Forest, lass. It will take more than an oath to convince me…" he replied "Tell me something only you and I know…"

She smiled at him, looking straight in his eyes "I kissed you in Neverland… and you bowed to win my heart, without trickery"

His mouth fall opened, his sword hit the dirty road and he ran to her, pulling her into his arms.

"Swan…" he whispered


	2. Gestures

Thank you very much for your favorites and follows and to my beta MoreColourfulMoniker

Chapter 2 - **Gestures**

"Swan…" he whispered as he pulled her closer to him, embracing her in his warmth, his arms tightening around her, his hook at the base of her back, his hand instinctively going to her hair and tangling her curls and she took a deep breath, taking in all in, letting the familiar comfort invade her. This was the closest she'd ever been to him and she should pull back, but it had been a mix of sensations for her and she needed to stop thinking for one moment and just be. Just feel comforted by someone. By _him_.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry… I didn't know it was you." He apologized over and over and she held him tight, breathing slowly into his shoulder.

Hook knew he had to pull back, that he was on borrowed time, on borrowed terrain, letting his emotions take over at seeing her, holding her into his arm and wishing he'd never have to let her go.

But he had to. He slowly untangled his hand from her hair, and pulled away, smiling softly. "My apologies, love. It seems my emotions got the best of me… I didn't mean to be so…" he tried to find his words "_affectionate." _ He finished.

She smiled timidly at him.

"It's OK… I got carried away too." She replied timidly.

"Swan, are you ok? What happened!?" he asked confused. "We left you crossing the town line, you were on your way to a new life and new memories…" _memories without me, _he thought.

"I don't know!" she exclaimed in high pitched voice. "One minute we are crossing the town line, and I'm thinking how I wished we could be with you, with all of you, and the next, we are here, in the middle of the Enchanted Forest."

"We? Is Henry with you? Is he ok?"

"Yes, he's just shocked and confused. As I am…" she replied "I don't know this place, I have no clue where we are or where to go, so I left him hidden in a cave nearby while I was coming to do some scouting of the ground… I was here for less than 5 minutes when you yelled and pointed your sword at me."

"I'm sorry…" he repeated "You were not supposed to be here, Swan. I assumed it was some sort of magical being that took your form in order to lure me in." He sighed "I'd never draw my sword on you… _again_" he finished smiling softly "We should go get your boy, Swan, and make way to your parents."

"You know where they are?"

"Aye. I left them several hours ago; they were making way to the castle. We should reach them in a day or so of traveling. Perhaps a little more." He explained

"Why are you not with them? Why are you travelling on the opposite direction?" she asked and he looked at her, embarrassment and longing mixed in his eyes. It suddenly hit her: without her, he was back to being alone, not really being part of anything. Without her, he was on his way to be Captain Hook, the fearsome pirate, again.

"You were going back to being a pirate…" she said softly.

"I'm searching for the Jolly Roger," he replied "I'm not sure what comes after that… but my ship is out there somewhere and I have to find her," he sighed "but it does not matter at the moment, Emma. We have to get Henry and start moving. Your parents will want to be reunited with you as soon as possible. And Regina too, she's devastated over Henry." He admitted as she pointed in the direction they should go and they started walking away from the road.

"How is Regina? Is she acting normal or is she back to…?" Emma hesitated.

"Back to Evil Queen? Nah, she has the outfit, but she's been very miserable over losing Henry and it's been sadness more than anything. She's still has her usual charming personality, but no evil." He eased her worries "I'm sure that with Henry here, she'll have even more reasons to stay on the good side."

He paused for a moment as the thought hit him that with Emma here, he now had many reasons to be on the good side as well. She seemed to pick up what he was thinking but she didn't mention anything. She was tired and too confused at the moment. His confession at the town line had ripped her apart, the full force of his raw feelings in his raspy voice, his longing stare, his promise of never forgetting her. She had felt the tears in her eyes and was only able to mouth a single word in return.

But the thought of losing him had been stronger than she thought it would be, it nested in her very core and she'd be lying to herself if she did not admit for a moment, just for a moment, that she wished she could be back with him, she wished she could see _him_ again when she was crossing the town line.

And there he was; the first one to find her, the one to lead her and Henry back to her parents, sword over his shoulders and a cryptic look on his face. How did he do it? How did he materialize almost out of thin air the moment she needed him?

She pushed all thoughts aside as they reached Henry and slowly started their way back to the castle. Hook insisted she climbed on the horse with Henry and he walked next to them, making small conversation with Henry and trying to bring some normality back into the trip.

After a few hours on the road, at sundown, Hook suggested it'd be better to make camp for the night and continue travelling in the morning. He helped Emma set up a fire, and provided them with food and a cot for Henry to sleep on. He volunteered to take watch as Henry and Emma rested a little.

Emma couldn't sleep, as thoughts kept coming to her mind about her new situation and everything that entailed. She sighed deeply, resting her face in her hands.

"Can't sleep, love?" Hook asked

"You don't happen to have some of that rum that is your solution to everything, do you?" she asked

"Got some right here, darling," he said, pulling out the flask. "Do you want to tell me what it's on your mind?" he asked.

She sat next to him, grabbed the flask he handed her, took a big gulp of it and handed it back to him.

"That's a very interesting form of drinking for a princess." he teased her as he took a drink himself.

"And that is exactly my problem." she stated sadly "I am a freaking princess back in the Enchanted Forest and I have no clue what the hell I am going to do with that…." She sighed and looked sadly at him "There is no going back, is there?"

"Sadly, no." He said. "And trust me, I asked…." His eyes were staring at her, those piercing blue eyes, and she knew that he would have found a way if there were one.

"What am I going to do, Hook? I know nothing about this place, I don't belong here..."

He could sense that she was at the verge of losing her mind and without even thinking it, his body moved towards hers, his arms wrapping around her back and she let him pull her to him, let him embrace her again, and she rested her head on his chest, sighing.

"You'll be fine, love. You have your parents, your boy, Neal." She could sense his pain and hesitation at the name and she snuggled closer to him. "They will all help you find your way here. You'll learn what you need to do and you'll conquer this adventure as you've conquered others. You'll be a magnificent princess." He said.

"You really think so?"

"I've told you before, Swan. I have yet to see you fail..." she looked up at him and he smiled at her, his blue eyes filled with adoration and confidence.

"Would you help me find my way here?" she ventured.

"I'm nothing but a pirate, love." He replied sadly.

"You are more than that, Hook."

"Not in this world." He said and she could see the pain in his eyes, the self-deprecation creeping into him and she wanted to comfort him as he had comforted her.

"I don't believe that for a second…" she looked deeply at him.

"You'll be the only one, Highness." He teased her trying to avert her eyes. She touched his face, forcing him to look at her.

"I mean it." She said and she could see the longing in his eyes and he was an open book to her in that moment, a broken man trying to find his way back after centuries of revenge eating him alive.

He looked into her green eyes and saw her faith in him and it broke him in a million pieces. He wanted to reach out, to close that small gap between them and kiss her, taste her lips one more time as he had before, but he couldn't do it, he did not deserve her. He'd never deserved her.

She felt his stare pulling her closer to him and she could not resist his eyes any longer… as she got closer to him, she felt him freeze in his spot, his eyes closing, his breath catching… She could feel the tension between them and it was a dizzy feeling, she closed her eyes and brushed her lips to his. She felt his lips responding to hers immediately and as she tilted her head, she felt the full force of him pulling her tighter into him, deepening the kiss and it was as she remembered: passion, comfort, adoration, and strength.

Eventually they broke apart, both sighing. He pressed his forehead against hers and spoke softly, his lips brushing hers, "You should get some sleep, Emma."

She nodded and pulled away from him, moving to lie down next to Henry and eventually falling asleep.

He stared at the fire in front of him, sighing deeply, a soft sad smile in his face.


	3. What lies underneath

Thank you for your reviews and favs! And a huge thank you for my beta, MoreColourfulMoniker for her endless patience with my punctuation marks (or the lack of thereof)

Chapter 3 – What lies underneath

_You and I, it's as though we have been taught to kiss in heaven and sent down to earth together, to see if we know what we were taught._ **Boris Pasternak, Doctor Zhivago**

At the break of dawn, they continued their trip. Emma was, once again, confused and scared. She felt herself tiptoeing around Hook. She had a moment of weakness and caved into kissing him the night before and was now faced with the aftermath of the event… with everything else going on, the last thing she needed was adding _"trying to figure out my feelings for a 300 year old pirate"_ into the list.

Hook could sense her awkwardness, her pulling away from him and sighed deeply. He did not expect anything different, but it still hurt him; so he did what he did best: he hid it all inside and pulled back his cocky pirate mask. After centuries, it was a move that he had mastered and he excelled at it. The snarky comments and the innuendos were his self-defense mechanism. So he just shrugged it all off and buried it in the back of his mind, buying himself some time until he could drown it all in rum.

Late in the morning, Hook stopped and checked on his spyglass.

"There," He said. "It won't be much longer now, Swan. They are camping at the clearing ahead of the road, next to the castle. We should reach them in no time"

"I'll see my dad again?" Henry asked with excitement

"Aye, lad. I'm sure he'll be delighted to see you." Hook continued "Both of you." He gave Emma a pained look before focusing back on the road.

Suddenly, he heard rushed footsteps coming their way, the type of sound that could only mean danger. He turned around instinctively.

"Someone, or several ones, are coming." He stated. "Take the horse and hurry to the clearing, Swan." He said as he tried to assess the upcoming danger "I'll slow them down…"

"Hook, I can't leave you." She hesitated.

"Swan, you have to go, you _have_ to protect the boy. I'll be right behind you" He replied, drawing his sword and getting ready for the fight that was coming.

"You cannot fight them alone, they might be too many. I won't leave you!" she sounded aggravated.

"Leave, Emma. NOW!" He yelled before lashing the horse and turning around to face the danger.

As the horse galloped towards the clearing, Emma looked back to see Hook fighting several men on the road. She knew she had to keep going, she had to protect Henry from the danger, but the thought of leaving Hook behind was tearing her apart. He was outnumbered and she did not know how he could come out of this one victorious. In a moment, the thought of losing him forever crossed her mind and she couldn't think of anything else. They had to reach the clearing so she could drop Henry and go back to help him.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the horse reached the clearing and she could see them: her father, her mother, Regina, Neal. They were all there, open-mouthed and dumbfounded at the sight in front of them.

"Emma!" Snow and David cried as she stopped the horse in her tracks.

"Henry!" cried Regina and Neal as they approached them.

She helped Henry get out of the horse and he threw himself in the arms of Regina and Neal.

"Emma, how?" Snow cried as David reached for her hand to help her dismount but she shook her head, panicking.

"No, I have to go back, I have to go back! I need a sword, now!" she yelled but no one seemed to understand her hasten.

"Emma what is going on? How did you get here?" David asked worryingly

"We were pulled here somehow. Hook found me, he brought me here but some attackers were coming, so he stayed behind to fight them back." She hastily replied "But there were many, he's outnumbered, I need to go find him… I need a sword!" she yelled again.

Understanding crept on David's face. "Dad, please." She pleaded

"Stay here, Emma. We'll find him" He said as he turned around and yelled, "Robin, we need some armed men on the road, NOW!" David pulled his sword and headed for the road.

Emma dismounted the horse and collapsed on her mother's arms.

"Hook…" she whispered as tears started running in her face. "It's too late…"

_I'm going to lose him._

The minutes felt like hours as she tried to address questions for what she did not have the answer, her entire body shaking with fear. She couldn't lose him, not like this, not at the mercy of some ambush in the road, trading his life for hers.

Noises were coming from the road and she stood up, panicking. One of the men was coming back and behind him came David and Robin. Between them walked Hook: David was supporting most of his weight, Hook's arm on David's shoulder while they walked slowly. He looked battered, beaten up. He looked _in pain._

Her feet moved on their own accord and the next minute she was next to him, arms flying to his neck, the force of her body almost knocking him down.

"Hook!" she cried.

"Careful, love." He grunted "It's a little too tight." He teased.

"Hook," she whispered.

"I'm fine, Swan," he whispered only for her to hear.

"He's hurt." David said "But don't worry, Hook. We'll get someone to clean your wound."

"I'll do it." Emma said.

"Emma, there are several people in here that can help." David offered, a little confused. "Surely you want to rest and talk to your mother, there is so much to figure out."

"It's ok, love," Hook volunteered. "Go be with your family."

"NO." she said, "I'll do it. Come with me, Hook."

She looked around until she found a more secluded spot where she could take him. She saw a small cave a few steps ahead.

"Can you walk to the cave?" she asked.

"Aye." He replied in a croaky whisper.

She helped him sit down, his back against the rock wall and she went to retrieve bandages and water to treat him, returning quickly to his side and not really paying attention to the confused looks she was getting from everyone in the clearing.

She could see the wound on his left shoulder and she helped him take off his coat and vest. She carefully removed his shirt and he winced in pain.

"I'm sorry." She whispered apologetically.

He smiled and endured the pain as she cleaned his wound and bandaged his shoulder. The cut was clean and not too deep, but she could tell it was painful.

"You could have died, Hook." Her voice was tremulous.

"I'm fully aware of that, Swan."

"Why did you do it? Why risk your life like that?"

He looked at her with intense blue eyes, his gaze so strong it almost rooted her to the spot.

"Do you really have to ask, Emma?"

As she finished tying the bandage, her fingers ran along his shoulder towards his collarbone, carefully caressing him. He sighed deeply, throwing his head back against the stone wall. Her fingers lingered on his collarbone, before moving down to his chest, fidgeting with the charms on his necklace. The intimacy was ripping him apart. He would not be able to hold onto his control much longer if she kept touching him like that.

"Careful, love. I might be wounded, but I'm still capable of a lot." He warned her in a husky whisper, his eyebrows waggling.

She looked at him intently, her hand slowly moving down to his ribcage and she left it there, slowly caressing him again.

It was all it took for him to lose control as his hand went to the back of her neck and he pulled her to him, kissing her slowly but with such intent that Emma felt her entire body bursting into flames. Emma's hand remained on his ribcage while her other hand grabbed his hair and she pulled him closer to her, deepening the kiss. She knew it was wrong, she knew of the several, thousands reasons while this should not be happening, but she couldn't bring herself to end it.

Hook's lips claimed Emma's as his own, his mouth exploring every inch of hers, memorizing every single movement that would make her gasp and shiver. He knew this was ending very soon, he knew this was his only chance.

He pulled away sighing "As much as I hate to say this, and trust me, I do abhor it; we have to stop."

She looked at him sheepishly "Hook… I…" She hesitated.

"It's OK, love. Don't despair, not over something as _fantastic_ as this." He teased her and she rolled her eyes at him.

"Like I said, as much I'd love to continue with our _activities_, your entire family is out there."

She looked down and he could see the turmoil of emotions and thoughts that were crossing her mind. She was not ready for this; he knew she was not ready. The pirate in him wanted nothing more than to push her a little over the edge, to take her as he took all the treasures he once coveted, to lure her into him, take her away with him and never let her go. But the man of honor in him, the one he buried deep down when Liam died, knew that he'd never forgive himself if he did that, if he took her away from the family she so desperately missed for many years in her life. She needed to find her way here, in the Enchanted Forest.

"Emma, look at me." He asked gently and he smiled softly at her when she looked up. "You will be fine here; your family is waiting for you. And I'll be ok now that you have treated me and patched me up properly. I'll just take my horse and resume my trip."

She looked at him in shockingly, "You are leaving?!"

"Like I said, love, my ship is out there and I have to find her." He tried to sound unattached and failed miserably in the attempt.

"But you can stay here with us." She said. "I'm sure David and Mary Margaret would be ok with that and I…"

"And do what, exactly? Wait around until you figure out how you feel about Neal?" He asked wounded and she looked at him, hurt in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Swan, but please answer me one question: are you ready to face this? Whatever _this_ is?" He gestured at the both of them.

Her sad eyes were all the answer he needed.

"I thought so." He whispered melancholically, as he pulled her to him and kissed her forehead. "I have to leave, Swan. Please understand this... I'm nothing but a pirate to them and I'll never be more. I cannot stay here, I have to go find my ship and figure it out from there. But _you_ have to stay here, with your family and your son; and figure out what this all means to you."

He pulled back and looked into her green eyes. "Do you understand?" He asked, hoping she could see how hard it was for him to leave her and how much it was needed for him to do so.

She nodded, tears in her eyes. He kissed her forehead one more time before pulling his shirt back on, grabbing his vest and coat, getting up and leaving the cave.

"Promise me you'll be careful." She said before he left.

He slowly turned around, his resolve almost gone in that moment, but he took one deep breath and pulled himself together. "I promise." He whispered.

As he left the cave, he could feel them staring at him. He could feel the dagger look Neal was giving him, but he stood still and proud, heading for his horse. He ignored David's attempt to reach out to him as he did not want to hear their words. They could say what they wanted; they could probably be nice and civil to him considering he just delivered Emma and Henry to them. They could even invite him to stay, with a promise of a new start full of hope for him. They could say all that.

But he knew what lay underneath: Emma Swan was in the Enchanted Forest. The long lost princess, the heiress of the throne, was back in the place she belonged, the place she was supposed to be, to fulfill her destiny and have her fairytale happy ending. And he was no prince to give her that ending.


	4. The Jolly Roger

Thank you for your comments and a huge thank to by beta, MoreColourfulMoniker. To the guest reviewer: I'm sorry that you feel Hook & Emma are being ooc. Since this fic takes place right after they come back from Neverland, I don't think Hook is beyond walking away from Emma a few times. He's just discovering his feelings for her, it's not like he had an entire year until he sees her again (like in the show) to ponder on those feelings. And the same thing is for Emma. She's still struggling between Hook and Neal (in theory) at that point.

Anyway, I hope you like this chapter...

Chapter 4 – **The Jolly Roger**

_She was lost in her longing to understand._** Gabriel Garcia Marquez, **_**Love in the Time of Cholera**_

He found her again a couple of weeks later, escorted by royal guards as she visited the port and got acquainted with the kingdom. She looked beautiful in a grey and green pant suit that accentuated her features, a vision of gold curls and green eyes.

He looked the same as before, she thought: all smiles, innuendos and arched eyebrows as he bowed at her.

"Hook! How are you?" She asked smiling sincerely.

"Very good, Milady, and you?" His eyes sparkled teasingly.

"Please, stop with that nonsense. It irks me." She sighed frustrated.

"You are a princess, love. You probably need to start acting like it." He arched his eyebrows at her as he started to get closer to her. "It's very nice to see you." He smiled.

Before she could reply, she heard a voice behind her.

"Hook!" Tinkerbelle yelled happily as she approached both of them. "It's so good to see you again!" Tinkerbelle smiled at him.

"Lady Belle…" He bowed at her as he did in Neverland, a small smirk on his face and his eyes scanned the fairy smiling at him briefly. He could not help but notice how Emma shifted uncomfortably. Was it jealousy? "What are you doing here?" He asked.

"I'm helping Emma with her magic." She replied, "I take over when Regina has no time for the lessons. Or patience."

"I'm sure the two of you are having a lot of fun." He replied mischievously as he looked intensely into Emma's eyes. "Have you seen the port yet?" He inquired politely.

"We were actually heading that way." Emma replied smiling.

"Let me show it to you then…" He proposed flirtatiously, his eyebrows arching as he got closer to her, only to be stopped by one of the royal guards' hand on his chest.

"Do not get any closer to the princess!" The guard commanded.

"Who the bloody hell is this buffoon, love?" Hook asked.

"We have orders to protect the princess at all cost." The man replied.

"Do they even know who I am?" He asked Emma who looked at him apologetically.

"I'm sorry. David and Mary Margaret got a little carried away after the incident in the road." She tried to explain.

"That's alright, Swan. They are doing what is needed to keep you safe, love." He smiled at her.

The guard interrupted again, "You should address the princess as Your Highness!"

Hook lost any patience he might have left at that point, "I'll address the princess in any way I like, or actually, any way _she_ likes, mate. And I'll get as close to her as _she _likes it." He finished by daringly getting closer to Emma.

"Show some respect!" The guard commanded, his hand going to his sword. "It's Your Highness, _pirate_."

"And it's _Captain Jones_, guard." Emma replied shortly as Hook looked at her with admiration. "It'd be good for you to show respect as well." She took one step closer to Hook and took his arm, placing hers underneath, "And I'd be thrilled if you escort me to the port, Captain." She beamed at him, mischief in her green eyes.

Hook smiled back at her, "My pleasure, love."

"Tink, are you coming with us?" Emma asked.

Tinkerbelle gave them one amused look and shook her head, "I already know the port and I promised Regina I'd help her with something. Have fun, you two." She winked at them.

Hook lead them to the port, as the guards stayed a few feet behind them. He pointed at all the interesting features, like the docks and the taverns, entertaining her with his stories and innuendos. She smiled and rolled her eyes at him, the both of them falling into their usual back and forth. In a realm where everything made little sense to her, he was familiar. Their dynamic was familiar, and comforting. In a realm where he had nothing left, she was his glimpse of hope.

She told him about what they were able to figure out regarding their coming to the Enchanted Forest. It seems that her and Henry's wishes to go back with them, combined with her magic as the savior and Henry's truest believer heart, created a loophole in the curse, allowing them to go back. Since it was not Regina's doing – she was willing to pay the price- but Henry's true love for her that brought them back, there were no magical consequences.

"A happy ending for the Evil Queen," Hook said, "who would have thought?"

"She and Mary Margaret have worked out their differences and Regina is staying in the castle to be close to Henry, but she's actually talking about getting her 'own place', whatever that means in here." Emma replied. "But enough about me, what have you been up to?" She asked.

"Still searching for the Jolly Roger." He told her. "It has not been in port, but there have been some rumors of seeing it sailing the seas; so it's only a matter of time until it comes to port and then I'll take the bastard that stole it and claim back what is mine." His voice had a mean streak and Emma looked at him with concern in her eyes.

"Hook, is this a good idea? You don't know who took it, or how dangerous they can be."

"It's _my_ ship, Swan. I am not going to sit here and let someone else take what is mine, what _rightfully_ belongs to me." He spat.

"Didn't you take it from someone else to begin with?" She knew the words were a mistake as soon as they left her mouth. He looked hurt and disappointed and he stared at her, sighing.

"I don't expect you to approve, _princess_."

"Don't call me that…" She replied. "I worry about you, Hook."

"Don't. I'll get my ship back and I'll be fine."

She felt frustrated at his stubbornness. She stopped their walk and looked at him concerned. He stood in front of her, his intense blue eyes looking at her in disbelief.

"Why does it matter? Is it really that important to risk your life over it?"

With each word, his heart sank a little bit more. He expected her to understand, but she didn't. Her eyes were looking at him with confusion, almost contempt and he realized that the only person he thought could understand, _would _understand, didn't. It broke him to pieces.

"You really don't understand, do you?" He sighed sad and defeated as he ran his hand through his hair.

"Understand what? That you are willing to put your life at risk for a _ship_?"

"It's not just a ship, Swan!" He finally lost it. He got closer to her and his low voice felt even worse than if he was yelling at her. "That is all _I have left_ from them! You and I, I thought we understood each other. What it was like to be alone in the world, with no one who cared for you, all your loved ones gone. But _you_ got your family back, Swan. They are all here: your son, your parents, Neal." He choked at the name. "You have a chance to make up for lost time, rebuild your life again and get your little happy ending with your son and his father, the big love of your life, all nice and cozy in that castle of yours."

She looked at him shocked, almost wounded. He knew his words were harsh and that she probably didn't deserve them, but after three hundred years of enduring all this alone, he could not help himself.

"You know what I have left?" He continued, raw pain making his voice shake and break. "_Nothing._ The people _I loved_ have been gone for three hundred years, Emma. No one remembers them, no one but me. And the little I have to remember them by _is on that ship_." He looked at her and she could see his heart breaking in his stare.

"To all of you, I'm just Hook, Captain bloody Hook, the pirate, the villain, the terror of the seven seas, someone worthy of contempt and disdain. Only two people in my entire existence have been able to _really _see me, only two people have been able to know and love Killian Jones. The man behind the pirate. The brother behind the uniform. And they both died on that ship. All I have left from them, from Liam, from Milah, from _me_, from _Killian Jones_, it's on that ship. So don't you dare tell me anything about it."

She could see the pain in his eyes and her heart broke for him. She'd been so blind to see what was really all about and she felt horrible about it. He'd always been able to read her so well, to understand her and she had failed to do the same for him. She was only beginning to commensurate what he was telling her and her hand reached out to him, trying to comfort him, but he pulled away, hurt and pain in his eyes.

"I really thought if there was someone that could've understood it was you, Swan. But, alas, I was mistaken." He averted her eyes and addressed the guards standing a few feet away from them. "Guards! Kindly escort Her Highness back to the castle, and ensure the lady's safety with your life. Her loved ones are waiting for her return." He looked at her one more time and nodded his head in salutation, "Your Highness." He said curtly and turned around to leave.

"Hook!..." She called after him, but he did not turn back.

He regretted his actions as soon as he left her, but he couldn't bring himself to go after her. He was still hurt, all his feelings about losing Liam and Milah coming back to him, flooding him with despair. It had been many years, centuries, countless nights mourning the loss of his loved ones and now he felt empty. His revenge was done, the crocodile was gone and all there was left was a void. He had to start all over again, and he did not know how. He had nothing in this world or any other anymore.

He had nothing to look for.

But _her_.

She was the only thing he could actually look forward to, even if it was selfish for him to allow himself to feel that way. He had no right over her, no right in wanting her, desiring her, liking her. But he did nonetheless. He smiled ironically at the thought. He vowed to win her heart in Neverland and he'd just pushed her away, again. He'd pushed her away to her family a few weeks ago and now he'd pushed her away to the castle. And all he could think was how wrong that felt, how right would have been to reach for the hand she was giving him and let her comfort him. Open up to her and let her see him, completely, let her understand him in the way only she could. But he was a flawed man and his pride had been stronger than anything else.

And his pride took time to wear off. He sulked and drank for almost a week, pondering what to do, playing scenarios in his mind on how to reach her, how to get her alone, how to explain. He would soon discard one scenario and move to the next, plotting, thinking, overthinking, as time passed by. He never cared much for time passing, after centuries in Neverland where time was frozen, he had learned that sometimes it was worth the wait. But he did not have the luxury of frozen time in the Enchanted Forest, he came to realize: time would pass, people would move on, and every second he spent sulking was one more second without seeing her. He stood up abruptly from the chair he was in and got ready to leave the tavern and find her. He'd figure out what to say in the road. Or when he saw her.

As he was about to leave, Smee came running through the door.

"Captain, Captain!" He yelled excited.

"I'm about to leave, Mr. Smee." He replied annoyed. "What is it?" he inquired.

"Captain, the Jolly Roger has made port."

He was fast on his feet, running towards the port and his ship. And then he saw her: enchanted wood, white sails, magnificent in his eyes. His ship. His beloved ship.

And Blackbeard was standing on its deck, a smug smile on his face. Hook did not hesitate a second in drawing his sword and point it at Blackbeard's throat.

"I'll take back my ship, now." He said with menace. "Walk away and I'll spare your life; but dare to challenge me and I'll slit your throat right here."

Blackbeard laughed intently, "The thing is, Hook, that I sold your ship two days ago. The new owner is below deck, in the captain's cabin. Feel free to go conduct your business there." And with that, he pushed the sword away from his throat and left.

Hook took a deep breath, sheathed the sword and headed for his cabin. He was already mentally preparing for the confrontation, all the possible scenarios playing in his head as to how he would get the ship back from the new owner. He took a deep breath and opened the door of his cabin, entering with determination and authority, only to look up and felt like he had been hit by lightning.

He was not ready for this scenario: Emma Swan was standing in the middle of his cabin. She looked at him with a timid smile.

"Surprise…" She said.

"Swan…" He whispered confused. "How?" He could not begin to gather his thoughts.

"You'd be surprised what can be done when you have a fleet and guards at your disposal." She smiled again, a little more reassured this time. "They spotted the Jolly Roger in another port, a few days away from here. I… I… made arrangements with the person that had it and now it's here." She finished quickly.

"You _bought_ my ship?" He did not sound pleased. "_You paid Blackbeard money for my ship!?_"

She took a deep breath, "Yes, I did. And I'm not sorry about it." She said defiantly.

"You are not sorry?" He yelled, "You gave money to a filthy pirate to get something that rightfully belongs to me and you are not sorry?"

"Hook, I bought it for you. The ship, it's for _you_." She tried to explain.

He started pacing around the cabin, like a caged animal. "Why would you do that? I could have _gotten it back _without your help! I can take care of Blackbeard! I don't need the _princess of the bloody kingdom_ to buy things for me." He looked at her, rage in his eyes. "Do you have any idea what this looks like?"

"I don't _care_ what it looks like." She spat.

"But I care!" He yelled back. "You have any idea the position you've left me in?" He honestly did not give a damn about what they'd say about him; he would just slice their throats and be done with it. But what they would say about her… He took a deep breath and tried to calm himself.

"Emma, do you have any idea how this makes you look like? In front of the kingdom, in front of all the pirate lowlifes out there, in front of your parents, in front of _Neal_?_" _He'd love to see Neal's face when he heard about this. If the rumors of the cave were bad, this was going to be even worse.

"I don't care what _anyone_ thinks about this." She said. "I did what I had to do and I'd do it again!"

He looked at her, standing in the middle of the cabin, wild with frustration at him. She was beautiful, breathtaking in challenging him.

"Why?" He asked softly, a plea in his eyes. She stared back at him, rage and passion in her eyes.

He could not stand looking at her anymore. He averted his eyes.

"Look at me." She pleaded, but he couldn't. "_Killian_, please." She said.

He always thought he could not want her more than he already had. That she had gotten so under his skin already that it was not possible for him to crave for her more.

He was wrong. Hearing his name on her lips had awoken a new depth in his feelings for her.

His head went up slowly, his gaze fixed upon her.

"I should have understood." She started hesitantly. "And I didn't. I'm sorry, Killian. I'm so sorry for treating this as if it wasn't important, as important as it was for you. I had to do something. What is the point of being the fucking princess of this kingdom if I cannot use it to do this for you? To get you back your _home_, your _memories_, after everything you've done for me? You helped me get my son back, you risked your life so I could reach my parents. This is the least I can do for you."

"I did not expect anything in return, Swan. You did not owe me anything." He said as he slowly crossed the cabin to stand close to her, so close that he felt intoxicated by her.

She looked up at him, "I know. But I wanted to do it." She breathed heavily, feeling dizzy by the nearness of him, but she did not want to back away. "I know you feel you have no one left that can remember who you were… but I'm here and I know you. I _know_ there's more in you than a man consumed by hurt and revenge. I've seen him, Killian…" She trailed off and looked down, sighing. His hand went to her, his calloused fingers caressing her cheek and he lifted her face, making her look at him.

"Emma…" He whispered softly. "Say it again." He pleaded, his lips getting closer to hers.

"Say what?" She asked slowly, losing herself in his gaze.

"My name, love." He whispered, his eyes looking intently at her.

"Killian…" she whispered against his lips as he closed the gap between them and kissed her slowly. The softness lasted for a second, only to be consumed by his passion for her and he deepened the kiss almost fiercely, spinning her around until he pinned her against the wall. His hand was on her hair once again, her glorious hair where he could lose himself, and he pressed his body fully against her.

He could stay like this forever, he thought. This time, he would not pull away.

She did, eventually, gasping for breath and her cheeks flushed. She smiled softly at him.

"I have to go." She said. "I… they are waiting for me."

He knew, once again, that she was not ready, and he decided not to push any further that day. "Thank you, Emma." He whispered as he smiled against her lips. He kissed her softly one more time before pulling away and letting her leave.

She turned around to give him one last look before leaving the cabin, "Anytime, Killian."


	5. Under the Stars

Thank you very much for favs, follows and replies! And thank you to my beta, MoreColourfulMoniker

I hope you like this chapter. :)

Chapter 5 – Under the stars

_The pieces I am, (s)he gathered them and gave them back to me in all the right order_.—**Toni Morrison, ****_Beloved_**

As he predicted, the rumors were everywhere. He had to punch a few drunken sailors the first couple of nights, as they attempted to ease him into conversation on the many talents the princess might possess or asked him what services exactly had he performed that granted him a free ship. After setting matters right - it is, after all, bad form to refer to a lady in such way - the rest of the town had refrained from even engaging in those types of conversations around him. He also knew from Smee that the castle was humming with rumors over this as well: there had been an important confrontation between Emma and her parents – he could imagine David's face when he found out about the Jolly Roger. And, apparently, Neal had stormed out of the castle and into the Dark One's home after a pouting scene where Emma had told him it was her business what she did and whom she did it with. Smee's words, not his. He tried not to smile when he heard that. _Much_.

Emma Swan sighed deeply as she looked at the tankard full of ale in front of her. What she wouldn't give for a good six-pack and a bar with a jukebox. She wanted an escape after her endless fight with her parents about her future and her choices and she had to disguise herself (peasant clothes, braided hair and she was actually _hiding_ in the tavern) and sneak out of the castle to get a fucking drink. This was not really what she signed up for. She truly missed her world today.

She knew Mary Margaret and David meant well, but they were driving her insane. They kept pushing her about giving Neal a chance until she had snapped and made it very clear to them that she had no intention whatsoever of getting back together with someone who had framed her and left her in jail. No matter how sorry he was about it or how much he believed what fucking Pinocchio had told him, Emma was done with him. She couldn't be with someone that had left her when things got rough. She just couldn't. She had not even spoken to Neal ever since he stormed out offended after he found out about the Jolly Roger and demanded to know what was going on between her and Hook. She did not care about it, to be honest, but she did dread the conversation she had with Henry over the fact that she was not getting back together with Neal. While a little sad, Henry seemed to have taken it well; better than her lovely parents. The most ridiculous thing of it all was Regina taking _her_ side and blatantly calling out David and Mary Margaret over this as well. Granted, this was at the same time she announced she was actually going to be spending some time out of the castle because she _was seeing someone_. Oh yes, as it turned out, Tinkerbell had been helping her finding her True Love again and Regina was now dating _Robin Hood_. Robin – fucking – Hood. Emma sighed as she finished her ale and motioned for another one. Some days, things were too much for her to take while being sober. She needed to get hammered. _Now_.

She sensed someone next to her and turned around. There was a drunken sailor trying to hit on her. _Fantastic_. She ignored him and turned around but the guy kept getting closer. Just when she was about to snap, turning around and pulling the knife she had on her boots, she felt someone getting between her and the sailor.

"Walk away, mate." Hook spoke in a menacing tone, his hook scratching the surface of the counter, very close to where the sailor's hand was. The sailor tried to protest, only to have Hook gett very close to his face and speak again, even more menacing, "The lady is taken, mate. Get out."

After the sailor left, he turned around and smiled angrily at her, "What the _bloody hell_ you think you are doing, Swan?"

"I just came for a drink." She replied. The protective tone was cute, but she didn't need protection.

"In here? Without escort? Do you have any idea how dangerous that is? At some point, one of these blabbering idiots is going to figure out who you are, _princess_." He spoke the last word in a hissing whisper, getting very close to her face.

"I can take care of myself." She retorted while she took a drink from her ale.

"I have no doubts that you can, Swan. I've seen it. But a room of tough men is too much for everyone, even for a tough lass like you." His sincere concern touched her.

"I seriously need a drink, Killian. That castle is too much sometimes." She replied honestly. "I just _had_ to get out…"

He could feel that whatever was going on; was finally getting on her nerves. And he wanted to be there for her, for whatever she needed.

"Well, if that is the case, I offer you my ship, love." She looked at him intrigued and Hook smirked at her, "You can drink as much as you like in the privacy of my ship, Swan, without any risk, away from prying eyes."

"Really? And how do I know this is not an excuse for you to get me drunk and alone with you?" She teased him.

"Because I believe in good form, Emma. And I would not take advantage of a woman in such state. You have my word, princess." He bowed at her.

She smiled at him, putting out her hand for him to hold, "Lead the way, Captain."

A few hours later, Emma Swan was almost completely hammered. She could still form a somewhat coherent line of thought, but she had completely lost the ability to keep her mouth shut. She was currently entertaining Hook with the story of her first royal appearance.

"You have to stand on your feet for _hours_. It's just insane, everything in here is just insane." She trailed off, lost in thought. "And _time_, time is just completely fucked up in here. Every single thing takes so fucking long to happen. Coming here from the castle: hours. Getting someone a message: days. Travelling to another part of the kingdom: weeks. It's _too-fucking-long_."

"What's the rush, Swan? Not everything has to happen immediately." He replied smiling. "Your world had a problem with waiting. And some things are worth waiting for." He finished quickly and she could sense his eyes on her.

They were on deck, facing the sea. The Jolly was moored in a more secluded spot and no one was on sight. She looked at the sea and sighed.

"You really are a patient man, aren't you, Killian?" He could not help but notice the hidden meaning of her question.

"I spent 300 years plotting revenge and waiting for my opportunity, love. Patience and persistence come along with that. When you truly want something, it's worth not just fighting for it, but also having the patience to _wait_ for it, darling." He felt his words had made her think and he saw a hint of sadness in her face. He quickly changed the topic.

"I just want to know one thing, Swan." He looked at her seriously.

"Tell me…" She whispered.

"Did he really _pout_?"

Her laughter flooded the air. Her pure, sincere laughter. "How do you _know_ that?"

"You'd be surprised what I know, Swan. Smee is quite the town gossip."

"Who knew that pirates liked gossip?"

"Well, it's information. And information is always important for a pirate." He shrugged. "Smee takes it to another level, though…" He finished smirking. "I think he has a dalliance with one of the cooks in the castle."

"So you know about the fight with Neal and my parents. Do you know about Regina?" She asked

"That she's dallied with Robin Hood?" He smirked at her, "Yes, I heard about that one. Who knew that the Evil Queen's True Love was a thief with a moral code?" He poured rum on their tumblers again and quickly drained his. "How is the lad taking it?"

"Henry is taking it pretty well. He's happy for her. Regina has some sort of house nearby the castle and she spends a lot of time there with them. She seems quite happy…"

"She's all nice and sweet and sings to birds?" Hook teased.

"Not really, but she does smile more often." Emma sighed, "She's been almost a friend to me. When I got into a fight with my parents about Neal, she backed me up. She told them she expected them to want me to have more self-respect than to get back with the coward that left me in jail to take the blame for his crime. She also told them that if I wanted to give the pirate the ship back, I was clearly in my right to do so, considering the pirate was the only man to have never let me down so far."

Hook almost choked at her words. "Remind me to thank her majesty the next time I see her."

Emma looked at Killian's profile, his gaze upon the ocean. He was strikingly beautiful under the moonlight, his features enhanced by the soft light, his eyes impossibly blue. He had taken off his coat and vest; and was leaning on the rail, his tall figure looking very tempting in the middle of the night.

"Killian…" She whispered while holding her drink.

"Yes, love?"

"What if I wanted you to back down on your word?" She asked him.

He looked at her, she had mischief in her eyes but there was also the glaze of the rum clouding her judgment.

"You are not thinking clearly, Swan…" He sighed, "This is not a good idea."

"Are you sure?" Her voice sounded like velvet as she looked at him.

"Are you?" He countered while getting closer to her, invading her space. He looked at her intently. "I'll tell you what, love. If you really mean it, leave the rum, I'll fetch you some tea, we wait a few hours until you sober up and then, by all means, we do whatever you want." He got even closer, his mouth hovering hers. "Just leave the drink, Swan. And I'm yours."

His intense gaze was too much for her. She quickly backed down and washed over the drink. She could see hurt flashing in his eyes for a brief second, before he masked it up with a smirk.

"Mary Margaret is pregnant…" She said abruptly, trying to change the conversation again.

"And we finally made it to the point where you tell me what was _really_ bothering you tonight." He smiled triumphantly. She looked at him surprised. "Open book, love."

She should know by now she could not hide things from him. "They are moving on, Killian. They are all moving on with their lives in here, in the Enchanted Forest, and somehow I'm expected to drop everything I knew my entire life and just make this my home."

He looked at her, understanding and sympathy in his eyes. She sighed. "I love my parents and I love Henry and I want to be with them, I _wished_ for this. It's just…" She trailed off.

"It's just hard to find your place in all this." He finished for her. "And that is alright, Swan. You don't have to have all the answers right away."

"But I'm the Savior, I'm the lost princess, I'm supposed to have everything under control."

"Says who?" He sighed. "Swan, you just have to be you, nothing else."

"I don't know who that is anymore."

"Yes, you do." He got closer to her, his eyes never leaving hers, his intense stare filling her with strength and desire. "You know exactly who you are, Swan. You're just afraid to show it, afraid they won't like it, afraid they won't want you, afraid they leave you. But _you_ are enough. _You are more than enough_." He finished vehemently, his intense blue eyes conveying all his emotions.

His words sank deep in her. His blind faith in her was intoxicating, even more than the rum that she had been drinking all night.

"Killian…" She smiled softly at him, tenderness in her eyes.

He had to pull away. He knew he had to pull away. He brushed her lips softly with his, almost imperceptible, before pulling away with a heavy sigh. "You should get some sleep, princess. My cabin is at your disposal. I'll take the crew quarters. You have nothing to worry about, my crew won't be coming back tonight."

She quickly retired to his cabin while he remained there, on deck, looking at the ocean.

She woke up the next morning with a terrible headache, courtesy of what was clearly a terrible hangover. What she wouldn't give for a couple of aspirin. As she got out of the bed, she heard a knock on the door.

"Come in." She said.

Hook entered the cabin, looking impossibly gorgeous with his hair slightly tousled and showing no signs of a hangover whatsoever. The bastard. He was balancing a tankard on his hook.

"Mint tea." He said, "It helps with the headache." He smiled at her.

She took the tankard and sipped the tea. "Thank you, it's comforting. But I should get back, they are probably already organizing a search party."

He looked at her smiling, "I sent word to the castle last night. I presume an escort will be here any minute now to take you back."

She dreaded the moment she had to face David and Mary Margaret again, especially with a headache and after spending the night on the Jolly Roger.

"Is your crew back already?" She asked, hoping to divert her thoughts from the impeding confrontation.

"Not yet, they will probably be back later in the afternoon. They are taking as much time on land as possible." He looked at her sheepishly. "We set sail tomorrow, Swan."

She looked at him sadly "You're leaving?"

"It's only a short trip. But I miss sailing and the Jolly needs some action as well…"He trailed off and she could sense there was more to it than what he was willing to share, and she decided not to press the issue further. She walked towards him, her hand going instinctively to his chest.

"Be careful…" She whispered.

"Always…" He promised.

She looked at him, green eyes meeting blue. "Thank you for last night, Killian. And I-I'm sorry if I – when I – you know," She trailed off, embarrassed.

His arms circled her waist and he pressed her against him, his hook at the end of her back as he spun her around and pressed her against the door, his hand resting next to her face as his lips spoke next to her ear, sending shivers down her spine.

"Next time you want me to back down on my word, Swan, come _sober_." His tone left nothing to guess or wonder. She knew exactly what he meant.

"Is that a proposal, Captain?" She spoke daringly.

His eyes met hers and she could see the desire in them, "It's an invitation, love."

This time, she closed the space between them, her lips seeking his hastily, her hands grabbing his hair and pulling him closer, needing to kiss him again and again. When they pulled away, both breathless and panting, she looked at him smiling and he rested his forehead against hers.

"Your escort is probably waiting outside," He said, his hand caressing her hair.

She sighed, kissing him slowly one more time before pulling from him and opening the door, "Sail safely, Killian." She said before leaving.

"Aye, I will." She heard him whisper before closing the door of the cabin.


	6. Conversations

Thank you for your favorites and follows and to MoreColourfulMoniker for betaing this!

Chapter 6 – **Conversations**

He waited in his cabin, his forehead pressed against the door. He couldn't see her leave him, not after being so intoxicatingly close to her again. It had become a familiar rhythm between them, one he had come to appreciate and look forward to. With each encounter fate gave him, he found himself falling more and more for her, if that was even possible at this point. He was wretchedly lost in his feelings for her.

But he had several obligations to attend to on his ship before they set sail, so he sighed deeply and headed above deck. Once he was up and he could feel the wind in his face and the smell of the sea, he smiled contently. He was looking forward to this trip: he would miss Emma and think about her every moment, but he also wanted to feel again that sense of belonging that only sailing had given him.

He was carefully examining the sails when he heard the voice behind him.

"What _exactly_ happened last night between you and _my daughter_?"

He sighed, plastered a smile on his face and turned around to face David, standing in all his majestic glory with menacing stance.

"Good morning, mate. Do you want to come aboard?"

"I am not in the mood for games, Hook." David warned him.

"Neither am I, majesty. But I'd rather keep our conversation private from prying eyes and ears and I assume you prefer it as well." Hook replied motioning David to join him near the helm.

David walked towards him and Hook could see the anger in the king's stance.

"I'll ask again, Hook. What happened last night?"

Hook smirked, "A gentleman never tells, your majesty. You know that." He teased.

"Hook…" David looked at him.

"Mate, I found your daughter drinking in a tavern, making a very poor job at attempting to disguise her identity. She had already caught the attention of a few sailors and it was a matter of time before one of them figured out who she really was. I scared them away and since it was clear that she had no intention of returning to the castle, I offered her my ship to do as she pleased."

"You brought her here to get drunk?!"

"You are not hearing me, _mate_. She had all the intention to get drunk in the first place; I only tried to secure her safety as much as possible."

"By bringing her here to be alone with you?" David sneered at him, "How is that safe for her, _pirate_?"

His words stung Hook deeply and his smile faded, replaced by a very controlled rage. He spoke slowly and menacingly, "I know you don't think much of pirates, your majesty. But I told you in Neverland: I believe in good form. I don't fight invalids and I certainly don't take advantage of women whose judgment might be clouded by alcohol. Insult me again like this on _my ship_ and I don't care if you are the king of the bloody kingdom, I will fight you."

David could see the truth in his words, "I apologize, Hook. I'm just…" He sighed, "We just didn't know what to do and when the message came to the castle…"

"Tell me, mate. What was_ I_ supposed to do? It was clear she was not going back to the castle; I did the only thing I could think at that moment to ensure her safety. I sent word so you'd know where she was; but I couldn't drag her back to the castle and risk losing her trust, _and her_, in the process." Hook sighed. "We shared a few drinks, she slept on my cabin, I took the crew's cabin. My crew was out, she was safe here, her virtue intact." He smirked at David, purposely omitting what happened that morning in his cabin.

David raised an eyebrow at him and countered, staring at him, "What is going on between you and Emma, Hook?"

Hook held his stare, "That is a question you need to ask your daughter, David."

"I'm asking you…"

"And I have no business answering on her behalf, mate. It is her place to decide what information about her _personal_ life she shares or does not share with you." Hook replied.

"I'm her _father_." David stated.

"And she is_ 30 years old_. She is an adult, your majesty. I know that you have the best intentions, but you need to stop treating her like she's a young, naïve princess. She was a _sheriff_ on her realm, for god's sake. She is the _Savior. _She is strong, stubborn and fiercely independent. She will not like you demanding _me_ answers on her behalf; not to mention, I have no interest in discussing my intentions with Emma with anyone but _her_."

David looked confused and for a moment, Hook took pity on him.

"Have you tried _listening _to her?" Hook asked carefully.

David looked at him offended, "Of course we have! We only want what is best for our daughter. She can tell us anything she wants and we will support her, no matter what…"

"Then tell her that, mate. Emma spent almost her entire life with people leaving her behind, choosing someone else, and always feeling lost and alone. And now she finds herself in an odd land, away from everything she has known. You might be at ease in here, but she is not. And she's probably afraid that if she tells you how she really feels, you might not like it…"

"We might not like it, but we will always support her!"

"She doesn't know that, David. No one has ever been there for her unconditionally when she was growing up. And wounds like that tend to linger…" Hook sighed deeply, his own memories coming back to him. "Just take it from me, mate. When you've lived most of your life with people abandoning you and you finally have someone that cares, the fear of making a mistake and having them leave you can be paralyzing. You need to make her understand you won't leave her, no matter what she does. She doesn't know how that feels. It's not a feeling that comes naturally to her."

Understanding crept into David's face, and at that moment he could see how Hook was probably the only person that Emma could relate to in this realm. And it hurt him deeply that his daughter did not feel that she could come to him and Snow with her fears. He smiled sadly, "We're trying too hard to make her fit in here, aren't we?"

Hook sighed, "Perhaps a little; but you only want what's best for her. She knows that. But a royal life, considering where she's coming from, it can be overwhelming."

David sighed, "Speaking of royal life… there will be a ball."

"A _ball_?"

"We want to celebrate taking our kingdom back, present Emma in society, celebrate her returning to our family…" David said sheepishly.

"You are going to parade her around the princes of the kingdoms hoping she finds a suitor…" Hook looked disgusted. He sighed deeply, some things might never change. "You know what, mate? I don't want to waste your time anymore."

"Will you come to the ball? You are invited." David handed him an invitation.

A ball. Emma in a ball gown, looking breathtaking. Hook thought about it for a second. The image only would take his breath away. And then he'd be forced to see her dance with a parade of princes and suitors that would try to get her attention. Some of them even might. He shook his head.

"I'm sailing away today, mate. I'm not sure I'll be back in time…" Hook trailed off.

"I'm sure Emma would like you to be there…" David insisted.

"If that was the case, I'm sure she'd let me know." Hook said. _And she hasn't._ He smiled at the king, "My crew will be here any minute and I have several things to attend to before I set sail, so if there is nothing else that your majesty needs…"

"Have a safe trip, Hook." David said.

"Aye, thank you, your majesty." Hook nodded before going below deck.

Snow was waiting for Emma at the door when she reached the castle. Emma was surprised that David was not with her.

"Where's David?"

"He went for a ride…" Snow replied slightly nervous.

Emma looked at her. "He went to see Hook, didn't he?" She asked. Snow looked down sheepishly.

"Really?! Please tell me this is _not _happening…" Emma stormed into the castle.

"Emma, wait!" Snow replied "We were worried…"

Emma sighed, "I know and I'm sorry I left like that; but that does not give you the right to go after him! He was trying to keep me safe." Emma smiled ironically. "As he always does…"

"Can we please talk about this, Emma? Just give me time to talk." Snow pleaded.

Emma sighed and nodded as they headed inside the castle and sat down in one of the rooms.

"Emma, your father and I are very sorry." Snow started. "We should have not pushed you about Neal. We did not know the entire history, otherwise we wouldn't even think of…" Snow trailed off, trying to find the words. "We just thought that the circumstances in which you parted the first time were different."

Emma looked at her mother desperately trying to reach out to her and Killian's words came to her mind.

_You're just afraid to show it, afraid they won't like it, afraid they won't want you, afraid they'll leave you. But you are enough. You are more than enough_

"It's OK." She said reassuringly, her hand covering Snow's and smiling to her mother. "You didn't know. I should have told you sooner, but it's not something I like to remember. I was young and naïve, and scared to go through that alone. I was ashamed…" She finally confessed, tears coming to her eyes.

"Oh Emma!" Snow reached to her daughter and hugged her, "There is nothing to be ashamed of. You did what you thought was right at the time."

Emma looked at her mother, "I loved Neal, very much. And a part of me will always love him. But I cannot go there, there is too much pain. I can't get over what happened and I'm not sure I want to. I want to have a good relationship with Neal because we have Henry, but I don't want to be involved with him. I know he's having a hard time after losing his father and everything, but I don't want to get back together with him."

"And you don't have to." Snow said reassuringly. "Emma, we don't want you to feel pressured towards anything. Your father and I just want you to be happy."


End file.
